Veteran actress Shabana Azmi and filmmakers Ritesh Batra and Shaunak Sen have joined the Aranya Sahay-directed indie drama Humans in the Loop as executive producers ahead of its contention for the Best Original Screenplay category at the 98th Academy Awards, according to media reports.
Their backing continues momentum for writer-director Aranya Sahay’s debut project, produced by Mathivanan Rajendran, reported US-based Entertainment news website Variety.
Also written by Sahay, the film follows an indigenous woman living in a remote Indian village who is tasked with training artificial intelligence systems.
Humans in the Loop explores the tension between indigenous knowledge systems and modern technology. Inspired by a news article, the script was developed at a lab hosted by the Museum of Imagined Futures and unfolds across three chapters.
In a statement, The Lunchbox director Batra said the film stood out for its emotional sensitivity.
“What moved me about Humans in the Loop is its tenderness. It looks at systems and data, but listens closely to the people inside them, their pauses, their compromises, and their need to be seen,” he said.
Azmi, on the other hand, described the project as a deeply moving experience. “It is a beautiful story, told very simply with a heart. It makes you sensitive to what is happening around us in the world and enriches you in many ways,” the she added.
Sen, the director of Oscar-nominated documentary All That Breathes, said the film “stays with the ethical uncertainty of technological progress and the people whose lives are shaped by it, rather than offering easy answers”.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur also heaped praise on the writing, noting that it reminds viewers that “in the pauses between technology and humanity lies the responsibility of choice”.
The project has received strong backing from the film community, with executive producer Bijjo Toppo supporting its early development, Kiran Rao backing its Indian distribution, and Misaq Kazimi spearheading its US release.
The film is a recipient of the 2025 Film Independent Sloan Distribution Grant, which recognises projects that meaningfully engage with science.
The makers have also collaborated with impact advisors Ketki Parikh and Priya Samant to strengthen the film’s US outreach. Its impact ambassadors include Aroon Shivdasani of the Indo American Arts Council, chef Vikas Khanna, and media entrepreneurs Medha Jaishankar and Sanjay Sharma.
Director Sahay said he felt honoured that artists who inspired him had connected with the film.
“I feel deeply honoured that artists whose work has inspired me have connected with this film. It began as a short script and gradually evolved into the feature we see today, and that journey has been a labour of love,” he shared.
Humans in the Loop was made available to Academy members via the Academy Screening Room earlier this year. The film is currently available to stream on Netflix.